News

Digital imaging software developer Nik Software, Inc. has announced an arrangement
with digital asset management pioneer iView Multimedia Ltd., a wholly owned
subsidiary of Microsoft Corp., to offer a software bundle of Nik Color Efex
Pro 2.0 Select Edition and iView MediaPro 3.0. This bundle combines two leading
software solutions for improving digital imaging workflow to provide solutions
for busy professional photographers.

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Affordable "8x" Eight Slot Smart Charger from Powerex Maha Energy,
the maker of Powerex batteries and chargers, has introduced a new, affordable
eight cell smart charger for AA and AAA batteries. The "8x" is for
users who need to charge more than four batteries offered by the typical charger.
The new MH-C800S features eight independent slots that can charge one to eight
AA or AAA batteries in any combination around one to two hours. The unit also
incorporates a large LCD screen featuring the charging status of each battery.
This new charger uses the same precision microprocessor as its professional
sister model MH-C801D.

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Pelican Products, Inc. has unveiled the 1690 Transport Case. Boasting more than
12,000 cubic inches of possible storage space, the 1690 is ideal for safely
transporting heavy equipment. Transit-friendly features include two double-hand
side-grips for easy team lifting, two heavy-duty sets of polyurethane wheels
with stainless-steel ball bearings and nylon hubs for long wheel-life and an
extension handle (with effortless release latch) for easy transport.

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Samsung Camera has introduced the GX-10, a new 10.2 mega-pixel DSLR designed
for advanced amateur and professional photographers. The third model in Samsung's
rapidly growing DSLR range, the GX-10 offers Optical Picture Stabilization (OPS),
a pentaprism viewfinder that provides a wide field of view of 95-percent and
a revolutionary new dust resistant CCD sensor. Because it resides in the camera
body, as opposed to the lens, the OPS feature works with a wide range of lenses,
including the Schneider D-XENON lenses to be sold with the body in kits and
the full range of Pentax, KAF2, KAF and KA mount lenses.

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Epson has introduced the Epson Stylus Pro 3800. Incorporating a compact, 17-inch
wide printer design, a new breakthrough screening algorithm and Epson UltraChrome
K3 Ink technology, this printer is said to deliver print quality and longevity
unsurpassed by any other inkjet printer. For added productivity, a new auto-sharing
black ink technology allows for automatic switching between photo and matte
black ink modes to maximize image quality on a wide variety of media types.
Available for $1,295 (estimated street price), it incorporates several new technologies
and performance advancements for the most discerning professionals, which include:



New Auto-Sharing Black Ink Technology: Breakthrough print head
allows the printer to automatically switch between photo and matte black inks,
providing virtually seamless transition times and greater conservation of black
inks.



Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink Technology: Using only eight individual
cartridges at a time, Epson UltraChrome K3 inks incorporate high-density color
pigments that produce the highest overall color gamut and fidelity among virtually
any pigment-based inkjet printer in the industry. A high-gloss Microcrystal
Encapsulation resin chemistry is also used to create prints with greater scratch
resistance and reduced gloss differential.



Three-Level Black Ink System: In addition to cyan, magenta,
yellow, light cyan, and light magenta, Epson UltraChrome K3 features a unique
three-level black ink system that simultaneously uses black, light black and
light-light black inks to produce professional quality black-and-white prints
that rival traditional silver halide. This technology is designed to create
professional neutral and toned black and white prints without color crossover,
metamerism or bronzing.



New Screening Technology: Debuting a mathematical breakthrough
from Epson, the printer features an entirely new, radical screening algorithm
that consistently places droplets precisely, producing smoother tonal transitions
and greater detail from highlights to shadows.



High-Performance Engine Speeds: The extreme precision of the
Epson Stylus Pro print engine delivers a 16"x 20" photo lab-quality
print (using 1,440 x 720 dpi -- High Speed mode) in as fast as five minutes,
32 seconds -- more than 20 percent faster than the Epson Stylus Pro 4800.



High-Precision Print Head Technology: The high-performance
one-inch wide, eight-channel print head can achieve resolution levels up to
2880 x 1440 dpi with variable-sized ink droplets as small as 3.5 picoliters.



Flexible Media Handling: Accommodating a variety of media in
cut-sheet form between 4"x6" and 17"x22", including
BorderFree printing up to 16"x20", the printer offers three different
ways to load media -- a high-capacity paper tray (120 sheets), top-loading
manual tray optimized for fine art media and a front-loading, straight-through
path capable of handling media up to 1.5 mm thick.



Print Longevity: Prints created with the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 are
predicted to resist fading up to 108 years for color prints and more than 200
years for black and white prints on specific Epson papers.



New Sleek and Compact Design: Weighing in at only 43 pounds, the Epson
Stylus Pro 3800 features a new compact design and narrow depth. Compared to
the Epson Stylus Pro 4800, the dimensions and weight are reduced by 30 and 51
percent, respectively.



The Epson Stylus Pro 3800 will begin shipping in December 2006 and is priced
at $1,295 (estimated street price). A Professional Edition will also be available
which includes a high-end PostScript Language Level 3 compatible RIP by ColorBurst
and is priced at $1,495 (estimated street price). The Epson Stylus Pro 3800
is supported by the standard Epson Preferred Limited Warranty. This one-year
program includes toll-free advanced telephone access Monday through Friday and
usually next-business-day full unit exchange service in the unlikely event of
any hardware failure. Optional Epson Preferred Plus Service Plans are also available,
offering one or two additional years of protection. For more information on
Epson warranties, service programs and products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766)
or visit our Web site at www.epson.com.

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Epson has introduced its latest multimedia storage viewers, the Epson P-3000 and
Epson P-5000. With Epson's exclusive Photo Fine Ultra technology, the P-3000
and P-5000 feature the world's first four-color filter system displaying
16.7 million colors to deliver Adobe RGB color support.[i] The new P-3000 and
P-5000 provide a fast, convenient way to download, store and view photos in superior
resolution and detail on-the-spot.



The P-3000 and P-5000 offer 40GB and 80GB hard drive capacities (respectively)
for storing and sharing thousands of digital photos, videos and music files. The
P-3000 and P-5000 are designed to be the ultimate companions to any digital camera,
featuring a high-quality, four-inch LCD for industry-leading precision, clarity
and color, wider file support (including RAW), faster download and processing
speeds, built-in memory card slots, and longer battery life than previous Epson
models.


The Epson P-3000 and P-5000 Multimedia Storage Viewers offer many new and innovative
features that give both professionals and enthusiasts a fast, convenient way to
download, view and store photos and videos, and store and listen to music on-the-spot.
Product highlights include:



· Large Four-inch LCD: View and share images and videos
with precise clarity and detail in 640 x 480 high-resolution

· World's First Four-Color LCD: New Photo Fine Ultra
technology offers the world's first four-color filter system of red, blue,
emerald green and yellow green, rather than the standard three-color LCD technology;
capable of displaying over 16.7 million colors, enabling images to be reproduced
more accurately than ever before

· High Capacity Hard Drive: Download, view and store thousands
of JPEG and RAW photos, or videos and music with either a 40GB (P-3000) or 80GB
(P-5000) hard disk drive

· Adobe RGB Color Space Support: Supports images taken
in Adobe RGB and a wide color gamut reproduces 88 percent of Adobe RGB color space

· Expanded File Support: Supports image files (JPEG, EXIF
and select RAW files), video files (MPEG4, Motion JPEG and DivX) and audio files
(MP3 and AAC)

· Faster Download Speeds: New processor provides speeds
up to 250 percent faster than previous models

· New Interface: An improved interface and three viewing
modes enable users to quickly organize files, create albums and slideshows and
assign file ratings for easy access

· Long Battery Life: Rechargeable lithium ion battery delivers
up to three hours worth of power to run in continuous slide show or video modes

· Built-in Memory Card Slots: Two built-in slots for Compact
Flash I/II and Secure Digital memory cards; many other cards supported via third-party
adapter

· Direct Printing: Print photos directly to select Epson
printers via USB 2.0 connection



Pricing and Availability

The Epson P-3000 and P-5000 are currently available for a price of $499 and $699,
respectively. The product carries a one-year limited warranty and is supported
by the EPSON Connection, a customer support and technical assistance line. For
more information on Epson and its products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766)
or visit the company's Web site at www.epson.com.

Mpix.com is now offering personal greeting cards, business cards, playing
cards, and calendars -- through a new service called MpixPRESS.



Mpix.com is a division of Miller's Professional Imaging. Miller's
president, Todd Coleman, said, "Ordering professional
quality press products at affordable prices has never been easier and faster.
It's as simple as going to Mpix.com, downloading the MpixPRESS software,
selecting a product, and submitting an order. As with all the orders that arrive
at Mpix.com, quality control and turnaround is what we feel is our strength."



To learn more about MpixPRESS, log on to www.Mpix.com. While you are there,
click on "Take the Tour.".

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